This document provides expressions and short phrases that can be used to sustain conversations. Some examples include showing interest by saying "really?" or "mmm"; showing feelings with "oh no!" or "what a pity"; asking short questions like "did you?" or "is it?"; repeating what the other person said; clarifying if you don't understand; finding the right words; agreeing with "yeah" or "right"; changing the subject with "anyway" or "so"; rephrasing; and going back to the beginning. The purpose is to provide tools to smoothly continue discussions.

1. Expressions to Sustain
Conversations
BY:
NOORAZALIA IZHA HARON

2. Show interest in the other speaker
"Really?" (with a rising intonation)
"Right”
"Sure”
"Mmm“
“Uh-huh“
"I hate watching TV."
"Right."

3. Use a short phrase to show your feelings
"How awful”
"Oh no!”
"You're joking”
"What a pity”
"My neighbour had a car accident yesterday."
"Oh no!"
"Yes, but thankfully he wasn't hurt."
"Mmm."

4. Ask a short question
To encourage the other speaker to keep talking:
"We tried out the new restaurant last night."
"Did you?“
"I'm going to Paris next week on holiday."
"Are you? Lucky you!“
"It's raining again."
"Is it?"

5. Repeat what the other person said
Especially if the other person has said something
surprising.
"He won RM200 million on the lottery."
“RM200 million!“
"I'm going to London next week."
“London!"

6. If you don't understand
"Sorry, I don't understand."
"Sorry, could you repeat that?"
"Sorry? I didn't get that."

7. If you don't know the word
"I can't find the word I'm looking for…"
"I'm not sure whether this is the right word, but…"
"What I want to say is…"

8. If you can't find the word immediately
If you need time to find the words:
"Well…"
"OK…"
"So…“
You can even make some "noises"
"Hmmm…"
"Uh-huh"
"Umm…"

9. Agreeing with the other person
You want to show that you agree, but you don't have
anything else to say.
"Yeah."
"Right."

10. Changing the subject
If you want to talk about something else.
"Anyway,…"
"Well, as I was saying…"
"So, back to …"
"So, we were saying …"

11. Rephrase
Sometimes we say things that other people don't
understand, or we give the wrong impression. Here
are some expressions you can use to say something
again.
"What I meant to say was…"
"Let me rephrase that…"
"Let me put this another way…"
"Perhaps I'm not making myself clear…"

12. Go back to the beginning
If you're explaining something, and you realise that
the other person doesn't understand, you can use the
following phrases:
"If we go back to the beginning…"
"The basic idea is…"
"One way of looking at it is…"
"Another way of looking at it is…"